Announcement
846 Words
Lucian doesn’t let go of me. He held my hand and led me to God knows where
Not when I stumble.
Not when I whisper “please.”
Not even when I try to twist my wrist out of his grip.
His hand is unmovable warm, strong
“We’re going back inside,” he says simply.
“No,” I breathe. “No, you can’t” I added
He doesn’t even slow down.
He pulls me through the garden doors and straight into the brightness of the ballroom.
The music dies instantly.
Hundreds of eyes turn toward us.
I feel the heat rush to my face. I look down, desperate for the floor to open up and swallow me, but Lucian lifts my chin with a single finger, forcing my face forward.
“Stand tall,” he murmurs. “A future queen doesn’t flinch.”
My stomach drops. “I’m not”
“You are,” he cuts in.
He walks us to the center of the ballroom as if dragging me across the room was a completely normal thing to do.
People scramble out of his way, bowing, whispering, staring.
I hear the murmurs:
“Is that Prince Lucian Varyn?”
“What is he doing with Lady Aria?”
“Where is Prince Renan?”
My heart twists painfully. Nobody knows Renan is lying cold in the garden.
Lucian lifts my hand. Holds it tightly. Possessively.
“Prince Lucian,” the King says, stepping forward nervously. “We… we weren’t informed”
Lucian ignores him not even acknowledging his presence.
He looks only at me.
Like the entire room doesn’t exist.
His eyes burn into mine, dark and determined.
“Tell them,” he says quietly.
I blink. “Tell them what?”
He leans down slightly, voice brushing my ear.
“That you belong to me now.”
My breath catches. “Lucian no ”
He straightens, lifts my hand higher, and without hesitation announces:
“Lady Aria will marry me tonight.”
Gasps fill the room like a wave crashing into shore.
Someone drops a glass.
A woman screams.
The King looks like he might faint.
I can barely breathe. “Stop it you can’t do this”
“I can,” he says calmly. “And I am.”
“You murdered Renan!” I nearly shout desperation breaking through my fear.
The room goes silent.
Lucian turns slowly, lifting a brow. “Interesting accusation.”
People look between us confused, horrified, frozen.
I feel his hand tighten slightly on mine, warning me.
He leans close enough that only I hear him.
His voice is soft, dangerous.
“Be careful, little human.”
My heart slams against my chest.
He pulls me against him, his arm sliding around my waist like a steel band.
“You’re panicking,” he murmurs. “That’s normal. But it changes nothing.”
“Let me go,” I whisper.
“No.”
One word. Sharp. Final.
He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, the gesture tender but his eyes anything but.
“You’re shaking,” he says. “But you’ll get used to me.”
“I won’t,” I spit.
Something flickers in his gaze amusement? Annoyance? I can’t tell.
“stubborn,” he says softly. “Good. I prefer fire over obedience.”
I swallow hard. My voice trembles. “Why? Why me?”
He studies me deeply, like he’s memorizing every detail of my fear.
“Because you saw me,” he says simply. “And because my wolf chose you long before that.”
I stare at him, horrified. “I didn’t choose you.”
His lips curve into a cold, wicked half-smile.
“You don’t have to,” he whispers. “I already did.”
Before I can protest again, he turns to the room and declares:
“The ceremony begins at midnight.”
He doesn’t ask for approval.
He doesn’t wait for applause.
He doesn’t explain a single thing.
He just grips my waist tighter and leads me toward the doors, ignoring every voice calling his name.
I try one last time to pull away.
He leans down, his breath warm against my neck.
“Stop fighting,” he murmurs. “You’re mine, Aria.”
A shiver runs through me part fear, part something I don’t want to name.
He feels it. Of course he does.
He smirks.
And pulls me into the shadows of the corridor
toward a wedding I never agreed to,
with a monster who refuses to let me go.
- Writer
